


Another Vice

by NovaStars42



Series: The Kids Aren't Alright [19]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Ancestors, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkwardness, Best Friends, Dinner with friends, Drunkenness, Family Dinners, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Humanstuck, Humor, I left it up to the reader to interpret their relationship, Mindfang gets smashed, Redglare is a good friend, no real plot but a lot of backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 15:44:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9278480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NovaStars42/pseuds/NovaStars42
Summary: IntermissionMindfang and Redglare meet up with friends for dinner.





	

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTlaRu_Wsl4
> 
> "If you need me, I'll be where my reputation don't preceded me."

The neighborhood Applebee's was brimming tonight. The picture of suburban living. A fucking minivan parked outside an Applebee's next to a god damn Home Depot. Like we could get any more predictable.

Neophyte’s red SUV was tacky and bulky, but it got us there just fine. The little girl at the front opened the door for us, and we immediately located our group. Collected at a few pushed together tables was the dubious bunch we’d graduated with. Our neighbors. There were twelve of us, to begin with, but I saw we had a few additions tonight.

The first was Megido -er, was it Droog now? Whatever. She’d brought along her husband.

The second was a boy, probably about fourteen, looking miserable on his phone next to his equally miserable father.

“Dualscar, did you miss the memo? No brats!” I huffed, walking up behind the table. I straightened my leather jacket and sat down across from Dualscar Ampora. Neophyte settled to my left.

Dualscar looked up at me over the drink he was nursing and glared. “Brought him along to lighten the mood. We’ll need it since you’ve arrived.”

“Ha!” I scoffed, “very funny. You know, we quit dating in high school, you don’t need to be so nice about it.”

“Ignore her. She’s just as mean as that girl of hers,” Summoner Nitram interjected from down the table. “Which, you know, it’d be great if you could get your kid to leave my kid alone.”

“Maybe if Tavros grew a spine, Vriska wouldn't be so mean,” I hissed, lips curling in a smirk.

Okay, maybe that was a low blow. That earned a few disapproving glances.

“Moving on,” Neophyte sighed, trying to brush away the tension, “This is your younger son, Dualscar?”

“Yes,” Dualscar replied, frowning. “He’s been livin’ with his mother since we got divorced. Moved in at the beggin’ a summer.”

“And I hate it,” the teenager added.

“Didn’t ask you,” Dualscar’s expression soured further. “He ain’t done nothin’ but annoy Maryam’s gal all summer. Can’t seem to make any friends.”

“Annoy is a week word,” Dolorosa replied loftily. “Try vex. Or exasperate.”

“I can too make friends! Shut up, dad!” The kid insisted, his snobby little nose stuck up in the air.

I wondered if I could hook him and Aranea up. She seemed pretty alone too, lately. On second thought, better not.

Condesce’s laugh boomed from down the table. “Oh, I’ll get Feferi on it!”

Psiioniic Captor wrinkled his nose. “That’d sure shake things up a bit. With Sollux anyway.”

After that, conversations sort of branched off. A waitress came by and brought Neophyte and I drinks. I needed a beer after the day I’d had, so it was a good thing I wasn’t driving.

Dualscar, his boy, Neophyte and I were seated on one end of the table.

At the other end, Summoner Nitram was sitting across from Signless Vantas. Disciple, who always was a floozy for him, was pretty much attached at his hip. They seemed to be getting on alright down there.

Vantas looked pretty dejected, though. I’d heard from Vriska who, heard from Meenah, who’d heard from Latula, with information that’d come straight from Meulin that their Fourth Of July reveal had not gone well.

I figured they finally got what was coming to them. Snowman had been my friend and she deserved better than Signless.

A waitress came and took our orders. There was some intense shuffling and some clarification on who was on which bill, but the paper made it to the kitchen and that’s all I cared about.

Dolorosa, who was on the other side of Neophyte turned our way. She was still wearing her hair up like she’d just come from the hospital but her makeup had been redone.

“I haven’t seen you in some time, Neophyte. How are you?” She asked, raising a perfectly waxed brow.

“Oh, I’ve been alright. Trying to get Latula to decide what she wants to do for college,” Neophyte wrinkled her nose and adjusted her glasses, “it’s harder than I thought it’d be.”

“Life’s not that hard, god damn it. You have a bunch of fucking kids, pay taxes, and then you die. Tell that to Latula,” Dualscar snarked, sloshing his drink in his cup. That comment was unwarranted. Dolorosa glared.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Neophyte spoke in that horrible ‘higher than thou’ lawyer tone. “I live a very full and rewarding life with my children, and I pay my taxes.”

Dualscar cocked an eyebrow. “Do you?”

Neophyte actually looked like she might come across the table at him. Did she, though?

Neophyte might be my best friend, but like fuck, if I knew anything about her personal life. She’d gotten kind of secretive after we’d both got married. Funny thing was, now we were both divorced and she remained the same.

“That’s quite enough,” Dolorosa huffed, glaring at Dualscar momentarily before turning back to Neophyte. “I’m sure Latula will figure it out. She’s a smart girl.”

“Where’s Porrim going to school?” I piped up.

Dolorosa sucked in a quick breath and with an apprehensive tone she replied, “She wants to become a tattoo artist, so I believe she will be interning, er, nearby. I think.”

I didn’t reply. I was kind of glad Aranea had her shit together and was going to a regular University. Neither of my kids were into weird shit like Dolorosa’s, thank God.

The waitress came with food and appetizers and drink refills soon after that conversation trailed off. I’d downed my first two beers and was half way through a third when the conversation got interesting again.

“So, Signless, Disciple, when are you two getting married?” Maiden asked very nonchalantly, stealing a fork of food off of her husband’s plate.

Disciple Leijon literally choked on her food. Signless spat his water back into his cup, turning to his girlfriend to pat her on the back. When Disciple’s coughing fit finally quit, they both exchanged glances, unsure how to answer.

“Well we- I uh,” Signless stammered.

“We didn’t think now was a good time, if that’s what you're asking,” Disciple looked downright afraid.

“With Kankri going so far away to college.”

“And Meulin is pregnant.”

“And the mortgages.”

“It’s just not a good time,” Disciple finally finished. Signless was trying to take another sip of water but succeeded only in spilling it on himself.

I bet that asshole hadn’t even asked her to marry him. Disciple was always waiting for Signless to come back to her, seventeen years later. I didn’t know why he took so long.

By the end of my third beer, I was feeling pretty bad about Snowman. Stella hadn’t even got to see Vriska. She was too sick to even hold her head up, much less meet my kid.

My group of friends was looking pretty sad. Seven out of twelve of were divorced, and only one of those seven had gotten remarried. I hadn’t even thought about it. Not after my last one ended. I didn’t think I could function normally with another person.

I ordered another beer, feeling a little light headed.

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” Dualscar asked from behind his Pepsi.

“You're just mad you gotta drive,” I slurred. I could hear myself slurring, but I didn’t much care.

My food tasted my alcohol. I barely found my credit card to pay for my meal, and it was in the same place it always was. If I said goodbye to any of my friends, I didn’t remember it. Neophyte had a hand clutched into the arm of my jacket, leading my swaying ass out into the parking lot.

The next thing I knew we were sitting in my driveway. Neophyte bailed out of the car, coming around to my side. I managed to get a hold on the door handle, letting myself out and spilling out of her car and staggered to my feet.

“Why did you get so drunk?” She asked. I just sort of shrugged.

“Why’re you so,” I paused, catching myself as I stumbled, “damn good at everything?”

“What am I good at that you aren’t?” She asked, holding a hand out to assist me. I took it. We made the way up my front walk, slow but much steadier.

“I 'unno. You cun, like, talk to people? Be civil? People like you,” I fumbled with my keys in my pocket and floundered with my lock. Finally, I got it open, and let us into my dark house.

“People like you too,” Neophyte pointed out.

“Nut like 'ey like you,” I huffed, peeling my boots off. My best friend kicked her shoes off next to mine. “Your husband even, he still likes you.”

“Ex-Husband!” She hissed, “Jesus Christ Spinnerette, what kind of fucked up trip are you on? How many nights did Aranea walk in on you two fist fighting? Your husband was never worth a shit. You should be glad to be rid of him. I’m glad to be rid of mine.”

She lead me into the living room, just off the front door. From there I managed to flop myself down in the recliner while she perched herself on the end of my sofa. She still had on her pleated slacks from work.

I sighed. “Guess you’re right.”

I leaned my head back against the chair and closed my eyes.

“You’re muh best friend,” I mumbled. “Thanks for dragging my ass home.”

“You’re welcome. I could tell you were feeling kind of down,” she replied, relaxing into my couch.

I reached down and pulled the lever on the chair, the footrest popping up and leaning me back. I wasn’t feeling so good right now. My stomach was churning like it was trying to turn itself inside out.

“Wanna have a sleepover?” I asked, reaching up to rub circles on my eyelids.

“Only if I can raid your stash,” I could hear her grin in her voice.

“Drink up, but don bring anymore near me,” I groaned. She laughed, and I heard her get up. Glasses clinked in my kitchen as she poured herself a drink. I heard the couch creak as she settled back onto it. The TV channel changed, and the classic dun-dun of law and order flooded the speakers. That prompted her to lower the volume.

I thought maybe Aranea was upstairs, but I had no idea where Vriska was. I didn’t even think about calling her, she could handle herself. She was a lot like me when I was a kid.

I hoped she became a better adult than I did.

Sleep sounded so good right now, but the hangover tomorrow morning did not. Some partier I was.

“ 'f I fall asleep, don’ wake me up,” I said aloud.

“Likewise.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm all about healthy adult friendships. It seems like they're pretty hard to find and keep. Are they more than friends? Up to interpretation. 
> 
> Would you guys all like it if I included information on the parents and living situations as a separate chapter to this? Questions, Thoughts, Concerns? Drop me a comment.


End file.
